1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a binding system for creating documents with sheet-wise formation of document features, and more particularly, the invention relates to a sheet-wise punching system for creating features such as tabs and finger indexes in the sheets of a document.
2. Background Information
Automated saddle stitch booklet makers are currently used to bind many sheets of duplex printed material into a finished booklet. The currently known booklet making machines perform operations such as stapling, folding and trimming of sheets. Generally these booklet making machines perform these functions on many sheets at a time requiring high forces, powerful motors, and dangerous cutting devices. Such booklet making machines are expensive, often exceeding the cost of desktop or office printers. As such, known booklet making machines are not well suited for use in low cost desktop booklet making.
Accordingly, there is a need for electronic desktop publishing machines for forming booklets which are compact, low cost, high quality and suitable for use with desktop laser and ink jet printers.
In conventional booklet making machines the booklets are first assembled, stapled, and folded and then the edges of the sheets are trimmed together to achieve a finished and flush edge to the sheets. The final trimming process for formation of books may also include the addition of trimmed features to the edges of the sheets, such as indexing tabs and/or finger indexes. However, the trimming of the sheets of an entire book at one time to form these indexing features requires complicated and expensive trimming equipment increasing the cost and size of a booklet maker.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,225 describes a booklet maker and a booklet making process in which sheets are trimmed by an individual sheet trimming operation to reduce the force needed for trimming. According to this booklet making process, the sheets are trimmed to length first and, then folded, assembled, and stapled. The trimming of individual sheets allows the use of smaller and less expensive trimming systems for edge trimming.
However, it would be desirable to provide a booklet maker which can take advantage of sheet-wise trimming with the additional option to perform trimming of individual sheets to create features, such as indexing tabs, finger indexes, tear out cards, and windows.